


let it grow back

by necromantrix



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: F/F, Introspection, Post-Canon, Romance, Short One Shot, i mean technically elrena but i guess the tags aren't updated
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:00:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24811972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/necromantrix/pseuds/necromantrix
Summary: Aqua’s reactions are the fun part of being here.The way she visibly bristles when Elrena throws a scathingprincessher way. The way her eyes narrow with such dignity when a dismissive line is thrown in her direction. The way her voice remains clear and calm no matter what.She’s fun in a way no one else is, all dignity and grace and strength; she never gets riled up in the way the men of the Organization did and the very-much-the-same-men of the castle do, at least, which is an interesting change of pace. She’s a lot more subtle than that.It’s almost admirable. Almost.
Relationships: Aqua/Larxene (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	let it grow back

**Author's Note:**

> birthday gift for a twitter mutual!! we love lesbians.
> 
> this was also hard because of brain funk due to madame 'rona who oppresses us all, so sorry for any weirdness. follow me on twitter at [@planthorror](https://twitter.com/planthorror) for more kingdom hearts and fic rambling and previews and requests and whatever.

i

She'll never be that same good girl she was ever again, Elrena knows. She's accepted that, too; cruelty has settled into her bones, a knife has laced itself to her tongue. She's all sharp edges and white-hot electricity. Time has a funny way of doing that sort of thing. It left its marks on her, the scars that darkness left on her heart still felt even now that she’s out of its hold.

So it's no wonder that the  _ goody goody _ with the blue hair and the strong morals grates on her nerves like she does.  _ Aqua, _ she'd introduced herself as with palpable tension and wariness. It makes sense, given the whole  _ Guardian of Light _ vs  _ Seeker of Darkness _ thing, but still.  _ Come on, princess. At least give a girl a chance. _

Elrena had nearly introduced herself as  _ Larxene _ before she remembered that no, she was whole again. When her semi-sarcastic handshake had been rejected, she laughed, and Aqua’s eyes had narrowed with something she could only place in the moment as acknowledgement that her original thoughts were being vindicated. That was fine.

It still  _ is _ fine, Elrena thinks as she sighs, looking over at Lauriam beside her. “Why’d we come here again? To a place full of people who hate us? You didn’t forget that, did you?”

“I didn’t forget, but bygones should be bygones for the sake of moving forward. Or did  _ you _ forget that conversation?”

_ Ugh.  _ She  _ had _ agreed, hadn’t she?

She’s not sure if she’ll ever balance the truth of what was with the present of what is. She sighs again and closes her eyes.

ii

Aqua’s reactions are the fun part of being here.

The way she visibly bristles when Elrena throws a scathing  _ princess _ her way. The way her eyes narrow with such dignity when a dismissive line is thrown in her direction. The way her voice remains clear and calm no matter what.

She’s fun in a way no one else is, all dignity and grace and strength; she never gets riled up in the way the men of the Organization did and the very-much-the-same-men of the castle do, at least, which is an interesting change of pace. She’s a lot more subtle than that.

It’s almost admirable. Almost.

iii

The light is blinding.

Watching the way Aqua dotes on her friends, the way she’s patient while training some of the younger wielders in advanced magic… Elrena’s right hand instinctively flexes, fingers curling slightly where the hilt of a weapon she hasn’t held in such a long time used to be.

She doesn’t think about that reflex, instead forcing teal eyes to focus on the graceful movements of the Keyblade Master. Aqua looks like a dancer with every twirl and flourish, and there’s something about that grace that’s a warning of danger—like how the prettiest things in nature can afford to draw so much attention because of the way they defend themselves against threats. Aqua’s like that, Elrena decides then and there. 

It’s the opposite of herself and the way she warns people to stay away with a roll of her eyes and a cruelly flippant statement.

iv

It’s been weeks since she and Lauriam showed up in this world.

Everyone comes and goes, it seems. They’re all looking for answers, about one thing or another. The training stops at some point; that little Princess of Heart talked the scientists in the castle into something no one else agreed with after wearing them down for who knows how long. Whatever small training group had gathered itself over those first few weeks quickly fell apart. Everyone does their own thing for a while, to try to help and to work towards the answers they seek.

_ Aimless _ isn’t a word Elrena ever thought she’d be using to describe Aqua until now. “Think you’re going to find answers at the bottom of a fountain?” she says without thinking, her voice cutting through the sound of bubbling water.

Aqua turns quickly where she’s sitting on the stone edge of one of the low fountains, eyes widening briefly before turning back to the rippling surface. “No. I’m just thinking.”

“I can see that.”

The silence grows, and the fact that Aqua wants her to leave just makes Elrena want to carry along on her way even  _ less. _

“What brought you back here? Isn’t everyone out searching or whatever?” Not that she thinks it’ll help.

“We are.” She looks up at Elrena again, and sorrow has seeped into those blue eyes. Or something like it. Defeat. Exhaustion. Something that hovers in the middle. “I like to come and check on Kairi. Just in case.”  _ Just in case something goes wrong. _

It’s more fun when Aqua  _ reacts _ , and Elrena sighs. “Listen, _ princess _ —this whole  _ somber _ thing is a  _ real _ mood killer.” She crosses her arms, and two pairs of eyes of different shades of blue lock on each other for a little too long.

Aqua doesn’t say anything else; she just looks up at Elrena with that indignant but somber expression, and Elrena breaks the moment first by turning and leaving with nothing more than an irritated sigh.

_ Whatever. _

v

“So… I found out that you used to be a wielder.”

It’s an abrupt statement, and Elrena’s eyes widen before narrowing accusingly. “What are you even talking about?”

“Terra told me. He found out from Lauriam.”  _ Ah. So  _ that’s _ how it is. _

Elrena turns up her chin, turning the page in the book she’s been looking at. (She definitely wasn’t done with the pages she was turned to prior, but it’s not like she’s been reading it. It was foisted on her by  _ Even _ with some vague comment about making herself useful, and she’s still trying to work out how to turn it against him—but it’s so full of science jargon that she’s started to suspect she’s been played. A good move on his part.)

After a moment, she shuts the book with too much force, turning her head to look at Aqua. “And why are you bringing  _ that _ up?”

“You can’t summon your Keyblade, can you?” It’s phrased as a question, but it’s expressed as a statement.  _ That _ catches Elrena off-guard, and she blinks. Does she lie? Does she tell the truth?

“It’s not like I’ve  _ tried _ more than once or twice.” A half-truth. “And it’s not like I need to use it. I’ve made it this long without one.” There’s a pause in which Aqua doesn’t say anything, and Elrena continues with a sigh. “I was a Nobody, remember? One of the bad guys? You didn’t see me swinging a giant key around then, and I  _ don't _ need to start with that again  _ now _ .”

“I guess not.” Whatever helpful hopefulness was in Aqua’s tone fades quickly. “Just—Let me know if you want to try, okay?”

vi

Deciding to try to be good again hurts worse than accepting that you never will be, Elrena decides.

Aqua’s hand is resting on hers as her fingers flex around a weapon that just won’t appear. “Just forget it,” Elrena says, her sigh heavy and irritated. Frustration has her feeling on-edge, and the way Aqua starts to speak in a soothing tone just makes it worse.

“It’s fine,” she snaps, electricity on her tongue. She moves to pull away, but Aqua’s fingers curl around hers instead of letting go.

“It  _ is _ fine if it takes some time.” She lets go then, seemingly realizing that she’s holding onto Elrena’s hand.

Elrena scoffs. “We can’t all be perfect like you,  _ princess. _ ” That spark on her tongue hasn’t left, the way she enunciates her words sharp and scathing.

Neither of them gets another word in before Elrena turns on her heel and storms off.

vii

The betrayal comes from Lauriam.

“You like her, don’t you?”

“What?  _ Who? _ ”

“Aqua.” It’s stated matter-of-factly, his teal eyes boring into her own.

She gasps, offended. “No! As if  _ I  _ would  _ ever _ —” As if she’d ever  _ what? _ Spend time watching Aqua train? Think about the feeling of her hand on hers hours after the fact? Tried again, and again, and again to summon a weapon she can’t get to return to her just so she has a reason to be around some self-righteous woman like that?

Elrena bristles, but she can’t think of anything to say to refute him. Instead she crosses her arms and rolls her eyes into a huffy silence.

viii

The kiss is brief.

Elrena can’t say what comes over her at the moment, but Aqua is still trying to talk her through this. Her Keyblade is still being stubborn. Aqua’s going on about faith in oneself and light and all that other stuff that Elrena’s long cast aside.

Besides, Lauriam’s accusation is reverberating through her mind still.

And when she gives a dismissive comment and Aqua turns to look at her with that hard look in her blue eyes…

It’s just a little kiss, brief and chaste and unexpected by either of them, and it leaves them both blinking at each other in stunned silence in the aftermath.

“You’re annoying. You know that, blue?”

ix

Elrena won’t tell Lauriam that he was right for a while, but she  _ does _ end up with her Keyblade back in her hand three days later.

Aqua’s delighted, and Elrena is unsure how she feels with that weapon of light in her grasp once more.

It’s uncomfortable and foreign after so long, but also needlessly nostalgic. And seeing Aqua smile like that, soft and content with herself and her success…

This time Elrena asks if she can kiss her, and it’s a real kiss.


End file.
